RS member Chhaya Verma raises unemployment issue in railways

TNN | Feb 21, 2017, 

RAIPUR: Pointing to the problem of unemployment during her press conference, Rajya Sabhamember Chhaya Verma said that around 600 candidates from Chhattisgarh, who have completed their apprentice training under Apprentices Act, 1961, are still waiting for a permanent job in the Indian Railways.

Speaking to the mediapersons at Congress Bhavan, the member of Parliament assailed South East Central Railway (SECR) Bilaspur Zone for their laid-back attitude and inactiveness when it comes to recruiting apprentice trainees over the past seven years.

"In these seven years, Railway Recruitment Board of the SECR has conducted recruitment only twice - in 2010 and 2014 for D grade posts. Moreover, the then SECR general manager was unenthusiastic in recruiting these candidates during his tenure," she said in her speech. On the other hand, Central Railway Mumbai Zone, which is the native place of railway minister Suresh Prabhu conducted active recruitments. Data shows that 169 candidates were recruited in 2011, 190 in 2013, 235 in 2014 and 699 in 2016.

Verma said that a delegation of All India Railway Apprentice Association SECR Bilaspur Zone submitted a memorandum to SECR Bilaspur Zone general manager Girish Pillai on Saturday, demanding regular job be given to the apprentice trainees. She said that she will raise the issue in Parliament unless the Railway Recruitment Board gives permanent job to the apprentice trainees.

As per information, Indian Railways trains apprentices under Apprentices Act, 1961 in certain designated trades. The Act was enacted by the Union government to regulate and control the training of apprentices.

Railways engages apprentices in workshops of civil, mechanical, engineering departments besides production units, diesel and electric loco sheds, carriage and wagon depots apart from electrification projects.